Tag: wearables

The business supply retailer has now announced a considerable expansion into wearables for home and office.

One of the largest internet retailers in the world, Staples, has now announced a number of considerable expansions in its Staples Connect home and office automation platform, which includes a notable wearable technology element.

In fact, Staples has become the first retailer to announce that it has integrated wearables into its platform.

Among the expansions that Staples announced for its Staples Connect was a rollout of 500 stores, brand new pricing for the platform’s Hub, and new collaborations with D-Link, Jawbone, and Microsoft. It is also integrating wearable technology into its platform, which is a first among retailers, despite the fact that this channel is rapidly growing in popularity and is gaining a great deal of attention in terms of actually selling the devices.

The Staples Connect had a limited launch last fall, but is now speeding ahead with cutting edge wearable technology support.

There will now be in-store displays added in 500 locations for the Staples Connect platform. All devices that are compatible can be purchased at the in-store kiosks as well as through the Staples.com website. Those devices include those that have the greatest industry support, as the company has partnerships with 35 existing hardware companies. These include leading brand name manufacturers such as: Radio Thermostat, GE, D-Link, First Alert, Philips, Lutron, Kwikset, Leviton, Cooper, Honeywell, Schlage, and Yale, as well as many others. All together, they bring nearly 150 different smart devices for office and home use to the market.

The executive vice president at Staples for merchandising, Mike Edwards, explained that “Staples Connect offers the best-in-class home and office automation solution, with the widest array of product and services from the most trusted brands.” He went on to say that the expansion that has gone in in-store is a part of the retailer’s overall effort to provide “our customers with the newest tech offerings and innovations.” Many are predicting that wearable technology will be the next big wave and that it will be becoming mainstream before this year comes to a close.

New Microsoft patents have strengthened wearable technology rumors.

Rumors about Microsoft’s smartwatch have faded into the background, particularly with the latest reports regarding Google Android Wear and the many rumors surfacing about Apple’s iWatch, however, two recently published patents hint that Microsoft is still on target to release its own range of wearable devices and a source close to the plans said that this could happen as earlier as October of this year.

Two patents show wrist-worn devices that connect with a smartphone.

Apparently, this same source also mentioned that the watch’s display may be on the inside of the wrist, which would allow the screen to be seen by the wearer when they turn their wrist upwards. Some believe this would make using the smartwatch more “natural” compared to other similar gadgets currently on the market.

Another rumor is that the gadget would not be as bulky as Motorola’s Moto 360 or Samsung’s smartwatches. Instead, the wearable tech from Microsoft is anticipated to be thinner and sleeker in its design, similar to a fitness band like the Nike+Fuelband.

The latest two patents published were initially filed in December 2012. Both patents displayed wrist-worn gadgets that link with a smartphone or other smart device. The wearables are equipped with GPS units, accelerometers and heart rate monitors.

While this technology is nothing original compared to what is currently available on the market, Microsoft’s patents existed before devices presently on the market. Thus, it is possible that patent infringements may result.

Microsoft’s smartwatch is rumored to be a cross platform.

Another rumor is that the smart watch may be a cross platform, which means that it could be used with any operating system or phone. This would make it the first smartwatch to be able to sync with Windows, iOS and Android phones. Currently, Samsung’s watches only connect with its own phones. Likewise, it is anticipated that if a watch is released by Apple, it is likely to only work with its handsets and other propriety devices.

The smartwatch from Microsoft has also been rumored to have 11 sensors inside it that include, among other features, a microphone, GPS and accelerometer.